Chapter 2: The Downward Spiral

Aang, Zuko, Mai, Azula & Ty Lee walked into the Princess's bedroom. The five were determined to rid the room of Fire Lord Ozai's ghost. "If everyone would please hold hands, we can get this show on the road." Aang said to everyone.

Azula looked at Zuko reluctantly and placed her hand in his without a word. Ty Lee placed her hand in Azula's and smiled at her. Azula smiled back at her. Mai did placed her hands in Zuko's hand. Zuko smiled reassuringly at her. "Okay, we can begin." Aang said at last.

Aang made his way to the center of the room and cleared his throat. "Fire Lord Ozai! We demand to know why you are haunting Azula & Ty Lee! If you can hear me, make your presence known!" he called out. There was a long silence. Then suddenly, the windows began banging up and down, the candles burned brighter and hotter, the mirror on the wall shattered, blood oozed from the walls and the door closed by itself. Zuko began to wonder what was going on. "Is this normal?!" he shouted over the noise.

Mai noticed it as well and was uncharacteristically scared. "No it isn't!" she shouted back.

Azula turned towards Ty Lee, she was shivering from fright and suddenly she began to cry. Azula wrapped her arms around her little acrobat. "Shhhh, Ty Lee. It's ok. It's all right." Azula soothed. She cupped Ty Lee's chin and placed a kiss on her lips.

Ty Lee instantly calmed down. "I feel safe with you, 'Zula." she said. She melted into Azula's embrace. "Let's get rid of this ghost." Ty Lee said, feeling much better.

Azula placed her hands back in Ty Lee's and rejoined the circle. "Let's try again, guys." Aang said kindly. Once again, he walked to the center of the room and summoned Ozai's ghost. This time, the doors and windows slammed open and shut.

Then suddenly, a ghostly wail sounded out. "AZULAAAA!" wailed the ghost. Ozai manifested himself in the room. "Azula, you have failed me…now you will suffer the ultimate punishment!" Ozai bellowed. He suddenly flew towards Mai and vanished inside her.

Mai fell to the floor and convulsed rapidly, screaming and tearing at her clothes. Zuko ran over to her. "Mai, fight it, you've got to fight it!" Zuko shouted. Suddenly, her body became limp. "Mai, baby?" Zuko asked hopefully.

Mai stared at him with an angry look that was hauntingly reminiscent of Ozai. "Wrong, boy. Though I'd be happy to cause a little mayhem." She snarled in Ozai's voice.

Zuko became shocked. "What the hell are you doing inside my wife's body?!" he asked furiously. Mai/Ozai stood up and dusted off their sleeves. "I believe just I said why, dolt. To cause a little mayhem." they said annoyed.

Aang became angry. "Leave this palace at once, you don't belong in this world." he shouted. Mai/Ozai stared at the young Avatar with a look of rage. "You may have defeated me once before, but you will not defeat me again boy." they bellowed.

Aang became furious. "Leave these girls in peace and get out of Mai's body, I'm not gonna fight you, Ozai." he stated wisely. Ozai/Mai were beyond themselves. "Coward! You will fight me! Have at you!" they screamed. Without warning, Mai/Ozai threw fireblasts and knives at Aang who blocked with Airbending. Aang threw an extremely powerful fireblast at them. Ozai began to lose control of Mai's body. He used her body to throw red flames at Aang.

Aang used air bending to extract Ozai's spirit from Mai. Her body fell into Zuko's arms. "Mai!" he shouted. Ozai's ghost faded away into nothingness. Mai slowly came to in her husband's arms. "Zuko…how long was I out?" she asked. Zuko stared at her. "A while, you were possessed by my father's ghost. But he's gone now." he said sweetly. He leaned down and kissed her lovingly.

Then suddenly, there was a roaring noise coming from the Council Room. Everyone gasped and ran towards the big room. Azula & Ty Lee went in first. What they saw was straight out of their nightmares… There were monsters everywhere. "What is going on, 'Zula?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula didn't know what was going on. "I don't know, Ty." she replied. Then they heard a horrible grinding noise from above them, the group looked up and saw a monster crawling on the ceiling. Zuko shot a fire blast at it and Mai threw knives at it. The monster charged at them and swiped at Azula. She screamed as the monster's claw cut her shoulder. "AZULA!" Ty Lee and Zuko shouted in unison.

The monster roared at them and swiped at them again. "Retreat back to Zuko's room!" Aang shouted. Everyone ran back to Zuko's room. When they got there, Ty Lee turned her attention to Azula's wound. "It looks pretty bad, 'Zula. You might need a doctor." she said.

Azula frowned at her. "Ty, I don't need a doctor. I'm fine." She tried to get up and winced. "Zuko, I think you'd better get that doctor…" Azula conceded.